Will Aslop. Ontario College of Art & Design

map: 100 McCaul St, Toronto, ON M5T 3K4, Canada

After reading interviewed British architect and artist Will Aslop, I couldn't help posting his work.

COLOR as architectural element, DEMOCRACY in the process of elaborating the project and SELFISHNESS in the final decision making, describe his architecture and the way he moves.

In my previous post, regarding Herzog & de Meuron's works, I wrote about their constant innovation and how they reinvent themselves in each project. This is what Aslop says, and I quote him as to deepen my thought:

"I like architects who always defy people’s expectations. It doesn’t mean I like what they do, but when their work is done, it will have presence, and it will be a strong part of the fabric of what the city could be. For example, I like Jean Nouvel’s work because I don’t know what he is going to do next. But if you show me a site where Zaha Hadid is going to build, I can try to predict how that building is going to look and, chances are, my prediction will be 70% accurate."

try the whole interview

• Ontario College official site
• Aslop official site

Arquitectonica. Icon Brickell Tower

map: 501 Brickell Av. Miami, Florida

Local Miami studio Arquitectonica, in collaboration with Yoo by Phillipe Starck, are responsible for the design given to this 3-tower mixed use complex just a bridge-cross from downtown and on Biscayne Bay's waterfront.

The whole composition consisting on distinctive outlined blocks in an irregular sequence, added to the use of dark glassed windows is what I call creative resolution for a high rise building.

That's why the first time I saw the building from the bridge that connects Key Biscayne to the land I wondered who could have designed such a thing. An interesting mass that changed Miami's skyline, as you can see in my pictures below (taken during construction in May 2008). The Icon is far to the left, with cranes still on the rooftop.

• Arquitectonica official site
• The ICON official site
• Starck official site

Frank Gehry. IAC Building

map: 555 west 18th street, New York, New York

Here's one of the most interesting buildings I came across last October: Gehry's IAC Building, his first made entirely in glass. What impressed me is the faceted white facade that dominates the view from blocks away.

I believe the design was inspired in the movement of the waves, since the building is in Hudson River's waterfront

behind stands Nouvel's Residences at 100 11th Av

The public lobby was designed as an event venue, and is home of the world's largest video projecting walls

The white color of the glass is what most caught my attention. As I looked closer I discovered that the colored "degradé" effect was caused by the distance between these tiny white dots

view from 19th st. In the corner, Gehry to the right, Nouvel to the left

more info at www.iacbuilding.com

Jean Nouvel. Residences at 100 11th Ave

map: 100 11th Ave, New York, New York

In Chelsea's waterfront, Jean Nouvel's 2nd building in NY is right in front of Ghery's IAC headquarters

Here is a selection of pictures I've taken by october 2010

The balconies on the lower floors are disguised behind the steel structure, creating an intriging layout of gardens. This view from the entrance is much more interesting than the street view

These are the stairs to the entrance

The side facade and the front ones have two different languages. I didn't like this, it lacks authenticity, the facade acts like a mask and the building looses it's strength.

• see more of my own New York pictures

• read critic by Paul Goldberger @ The Newyorker

World Trade Center. Progress on the web

Check out www.wtcprogress.com for the latest on WTC site construction. Delivered by The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Testing is already underway in one of the memorial pools waterfall.

Celebrating archiVIAS first year

In october 2009 archiVIAS began posting the world's most interesting contemporary architecture, adressed in maps, and linked to architecture critics and further information.

As a one year anniversary celebration, I have traveled to MIAMI, CHICAGO and NEW YORK to bring you the best and newest of contemporary architecture in these cities.

I used the blog to build my own itinerary and I can tell you it really helped!

I hope you enjoy seeing my impressions captured with the camera as much as I did personally!

New York

SOM's Freedom Tower (1 WTC)

SOM's 1 WTC under construction & 7 WTC completed

SOM's 1 WTC, 2 of WTC's remaining tridents, and MAKI's 4 WTC

Ground zero with 1 WTC to the right. Pelli's financial center at the back

Jean Nouvel. Soho residences

Foster. Sperone Westwater Gallery. Recently opened!

SANAA. New Museum of Contemporary Art

Rem Koolhaas. Prada store. (No pictures allowed inside!)

MORPHOSIS. The Cooper Union

Meier. 173 Perry st

ASYMPTOTE. 166 Perry st

ASYMPTOTE's facade reflecting Meier's building

Diller Scofidio + Renfro. The Highline Park

Ghery's IAC Headquarters. At the back Nouvel's 100 11th av

Nouvel

Renzo Piano. The New York Times

Foster. Hearst Tower

SOM. Time Warner Center

Close view of SOM's 7 WTC

Pelli. WFC Wintergarden

Pelli World Financial center 1, 2 & 3

WTC's remaining tripods

Arad's pools at ground zero

Maki. 4 WTC

Nothing at Herzog-de Meuron's 56 Leonard st

Detail of SANAA's New Museum of Contemporary Art

Detail of MORPHOSIS Cooper Union for Arts

Ghery's IAC HQ

Detail of the "sfumata" effect on the glass facade

Miami

Gehry. Miami New World Symphony

Herzog & de Meuron. Lincoln 1111

Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe and Associates (NBWW). 1450 Brickell

CHICAGO

Far at the end of the street Gehry's Jay Pritzker Pavillion

Pelli 181 Madison

Former Sear's Tower. Now Willis

Pei. Hyatt Center

the highest!: Willis Tower

the river that runs through it

Magnificent Piano. West wing of Chicago's Art Institute

Gehry's Pavillion just crossing the street

The incredible Gehry

Studio Gang. Aqua Tower

just a hole at Calatrava's abandoned Spire.